ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hide · wake · chip · season · bear · rash · wax · shower

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. season — of the year
  3. rash — a series
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. chip — for betting
  6. wax — to grow
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. bear — the animal
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. shower — rain
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. bear — the animal
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. rash — hasty
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. chip — to eat
  19. shower — to wash
  20. season — in sport
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bear — to put up with

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com